Denver skyline seen from the west metro near Wheat Ridge
Colorado STR Markets · Denver Metro · Jefferson County

Wheat Ridge STR Investing

Between the Highlands & Golden · 38th Ave · I-70

Wheat Ridge has the steadiest STR demand on Denver's west side. It also caps whole-home rentals by council district, and three of the four districts were full in 2026.

By , licensed Colorado broker (license IR.100066325) · Published · Updated

See the Portfolio
Whole-Home Cap
2% / District
Waitlist once full
Transfers on Sale
No
Licenses are non-transferable
3BR Asking Rate
$238–$323
Middle half, next 12 months
Occupancy
About 68%
2–4BR market, past 12 months

Rates and occupancy: PriceLabs market data for 133 comparable three-bedroom listings in Wheat Ridge (occupancy across 2–4 bedroom homes), pulled October 24, 2026. Rates are current asking prices for the next 12 months, not booked rates. Occupancy covers October 2025 to September 2026. Cap figures: City of Wheat Ridge table "as set in February 2026."

Key takeaways

  • An owner can run one whole home they don't live in, plus rooms in a home they occupy. Only the legal owner applies, and every listing shows the license number.
  • Whole-home STRs are capped at 2% of single- and two-unit homes per council district. In February 2026, Districts I, II and IV were full, and District III had 14 left.
  • Owner-occupied rentals and homes in mixed-use or commercial zones sit outside the cap. Licenses don't transfer, and a 10% city lodgers' tax applies to every completed stay.
  • Covest checks the council district and its current count, whether zoning puts the home outside the cap, and whether the plan works as a mid-term rental without a license.
Is an Airbnb Legal in Wheat Ridge?

Yes. If There's Room
in Your District.

Wheat Ridge licenses short-term rentals under Ordinance 1709 (2021). An owner can run one whole home they don't live in, plus rooms in a home they do. Only the legal owner can apply, and the license number has to appear on every listing. A 10% city lodgers' tax applies to every completed stay.

The constraint is the cap. Since November 1, 2021, whole-home (non-owner-occupied) STRs are limited to 2% of single- and two-unit homes in each council district, reset each year. When a district fills, new applicants go on a waitlist. Owner-occupied rentals, and homes in mixed-use and commercial zones, sit outside the cap.

In the city's February 2026 table, Districts I, II and IV were full, with 33, 18 and 1 properties waiting. District III had 14 licenses left. The city updates that table quarterly or as needed, so it's worth checking before anything else.

The Rulebook

Wheat Ridge STR Rules,
Line by Line.

The cap is the headline. Here's the rest.

STR license
City STR license through MUNIRevs. Only the legal owner applies; new buyers submit the deed. License posted in the unit and shown on every listing.
Required
Primary residence
Not required for one whole-home rental. An owner can also rent rooms in a home they occupy.
Investor OK
District cap
Whole-home STRs capped at 2% of single- and two-unit homes per council district, set annually, with a waitlist above the cap.
Capped
2026 headroom
City table, February 2026: District I full (33 waiting), II full (18 waiting), III 14 remaining, IV full (1 waiting).
Mostly full
Outside the cap
Owner-occupied (partial home) STRs, and homes in mixed-use, commercial and other non-residential, non-agricultural zones.
Exempt
Taxes
10% city lodgers' tax on completed stays, filed monthly.
10%
On a sale
Licenses are non-transferable. In a full district, a buyer joins the back of the waitlist.
No transfer
Summarized from the City of Wheat Ridge STR page and Ordinance 1709, checked October 2026. District counts change; confirm current headroom with the city before you write an offer.
Market Numbers

What Wheat Ridge STRs
Are Asking.

Across 133 comparable three-bedroom listings, the middle half of asking rates for the next 12 months runs $238 to $323 a night. Two-bedrooms (140 comps) ask $178 to $260, and four-bedrooms (77 comps) $312 to $422. These are asking prices, not booked rates.

Occupancy across two- to four-bedroom homes averaged about 68% from October 2025 to September 2026, the highest and flattest of the Denver suburbs I track. July peaked at 82% and January bottomed at 54%.

That steadiness is exactly why the cap filled. In a full district, the license is the scarce part, not the house.

Before Any Offer

What I Check in Wheat Ridge

Before a client falls for a house here, I want these answered.

  • Which council district the address is in, and the current count for that district.
  • Whether the zoning puts it outside the cap (mixed-use or commercial).
  • Whether the plan still works as an owner-occupied or mid-term rental if a license isn't available.
  • The seller's license status, which matters for timing but doesn't pass to you.

Found a Wheat Ridge house?

Send me the address. I'll check the district, the zoning and the waitlist, and tell you whether there's a real license path before you spend money on inspections.

Send Me an Address
Wheat Ridge STR FAQ

Questions Investors Ask Us

Q.Is there a cap on Airbnbs in Wheat Ridge?
Yes. Whole-home, non-owner-occupied STRs are capped at 2% of single- and two-unit homes in each council district, set annually. Owner-occupied STRs and homes in mixed-use or commercial zones are exempt.
Q.Which Wheat Ridge districts have STR licenses available?
In the city's February 2026 table, Districts I, II and IV were full with waitlists of 33, 18 and 1. District III had 14 licenses remaining. The city updates the table quarterly or as needed.
Q.Does a Wheat Ridge STR license transfer to a buyer?
No. The city says STR licenses are non-transferable. A buyer applies in their own name and, in a full district, goes on the waitlist.
Q.What tax applies to Wheat Ridge short-term rentals?
A 10% City of Wheat Ridge lodgers' tax on completed STR reservations, effective August 1, 2021, filed and paid monthly.

Sources

Covest LLC is a licensed Colorado real estate brokerage. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice, and rules change. Confirm current requirements with the City of Wheat Ridge before you buy.

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